“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” said Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman at Apple. She declined to comment on how Topsy’s technology would be used.

Topsy’s service helps companies analyse consumer sentiment on microblogging service Twitter, be it a response to TV programming or politics.

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Apple paid more than $200 million for the company. Apple has stepped up the pace of acquisitions. Last month, the California-based company purchased PrimeSense, an Israeli maker of motion-tracking technology. It also has this year acquired navigation-software company Embark, online transit-navigation service HopStop.com, business-locations maps company Locationary, and WifiSLAM, which makes location-identifying technology for when a smartphone user is inside a building. – (Bloomberg)